Collapsible packing case



Jafl- 13, 1959 F. F. KooKoGEY COLLAPSIBLE PACKING CASE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 1'?. 1954 JNVENTOR. FREDER /c F2 Koo/ 0 GEV BYj 114 Jan. 13, 1959 F. F. KooKoGr-:Y

COLLAPSIBLE PACKING CASI? Filed March 17. 1954 IN VEN TOR.

FREDERIC F.' KKE Y d MJ ATTORNEY Jan. 13, 1959 F. F. KooKoGEY coLLAPsIBLE PACKING CASE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 se l Filed March 17. 1954 Y m M R. R m A i A mE 6 m E o f 0V p Y l B F. F. KooKoGEY 2,868,406?

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 COLLAPSIBLE PACKING CSE.'

Filed March 17, 1954 Jan. 13, 1959 United States Patent() inse COLLAPSIBLE PACKING CASE Frederic G. Kookogey, New York, N. Y.

Application March 17, 1954, Serial No. 416,907

4 Claims. (Cl. 220-7) This invention relates to packing cases and is directed, more particularly to such cases which may be folded to a height which is of the order of one-tenth of its original height, thereby making it practical to ship Ygoods in such cases and to return them to be used over and over again.`

Another object of Vthe invention is the provision `of improved means for locking said cases both when expanded to normal size, and when collapsed.

A -further object of the invention is the provision of an improved packing case wherein there are no loose parts to be` lost in transit, either when the case is `full size and loaded, `or when the case is empty, collapsed and being returned.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a packing case in which the sides and the ends are hinged to the base in such a manner that they may be folded l down in .strata or layers.

` `Other objects and advantages of the invention will be `apparent to those skilled in the art, upon a study of this specitication and the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawings, which are given `by way of example to illustrate the invention:

'Figure 1 is a perspective view of one of the embodiments of the invention in its expanded form ready to receive goods to be shipped;

i "Figure 2 is a perspective view of the packing case shown in Figure 1 except that it is in its collapsedstate ready to be returned so that it can be used to contain ,a` suc-` ceeding shipment of goods;

Figure `3 is a fragmentary view of my new and iinproved locking means taken on the line 3--3of Figure 1;

'Figure 4 is 3a detailed view of the lock per se, taken on theline 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of my new andimproved packing case wherein one end of the case has been folded down at, and the `opposite end `is in the process of being, swung down lon the top of the rst mentioned end; p

Figure 6 is a perspective `view similar to Figure 5 except that the two ends and one side have already been folded down iiat and the other side is being swung down` to lie upon the rst side;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of one of the corners of the packing case showing locking means partly carried 13 of Figure 1 showing details of my newzanditrnproved locking means; `and 2,868,406 Patented Jan. 13, 1959 Figure 14 is an elevational view of my improved locking means.

Referring first to Figures y1 and 2, the device relatesr to a packing case 2,0 which is comprised of a plurality of elements, to be presently described, which maybe return shipped in a collapsed state, and which may be readily Opened to its full Size when goods are to be shipped in it. The packing case is shown opened up to full size in Figure l and in its collapsed state in Figure 2.

The packing case may be composed of the following cooperative elements. A base 21 has a floor 22 which joins or is formed integral with side wall portions `23,

24, 25 and 26, so that said portions form a substantially rigid rectangular ange extension of said base. These portions may be seen in Figures 1, 2, 5, 6, 10 and 11, and an end member is connected to the base 21 by means of a hinge having a hinge pin 32., a portion 27 secured to the floor 22, and a portion 28which is secured at right angles to the end member 30. One -way of effecting this is by bending a portion of the lower end of the end member to form a connection strip 34 as seen in Figure 12. The end member has borders 29 and 31 which are offset inwardly relative to the main portion 30. Secured to one side of the oiset portion is a strip 33 of Z-shaped cross section which extends downwardly from the upper edge of the end member 30 a suicient distance to accommodate a bolt member 35, as may best be seen in `Figures 7, 8, and 9. A pair of shouldered studs 36 have shanks 37 which form working tits with the arcuate slots 38 `in the bolt member 35. These rivets have smaller shank portions 39 which pass through corresponding holes in the strip 33 and are riveted after the studs have been passed through the arcuate :slots 33 and the hole in the also has a right angle tab 47 formed on its upper end so as to be engaged by the thumb for raising `the 'bolt member to an unlocked position. A corner portionI 48 of a side member 50 has a clearance slot 419, Figures 5,` 6 and 7, formed therein so that the tab 47 is substantially level with the upper surface of the members 3d and `50 when the bolt member is engaged and locked with the mating member 46.

`The corner portion 4% is comprised of a right angle section `which has a leg 51 contacted by the olset portion 29 of the end mem'ber 30, and a second leg S2 which is securedto an otset portion 53 of the `side memberv "50 and to which `the 'mating `locking member 46 is secured. lt will be noted that the member 4.o has an ot-` set portion 54 in which slots d4 and 45 are formed and on the upper end the channel formed by this offset is covered by `a `bent over tab portion 55 of the mating member 4 6.

The above described corner lock is the one also shown in the lower left `hand corner of Figure ll. This means that the lock in the corner diagonally opposite is identical with the one described, while the one shown in the upper left hand cornerand the lower right hand corner of Figure 11 are identical with the first two mentioned with the` exception that they are lefts since the ones described` are rights It is not deemed necessary to describe the lefts`in detail, except to say that the element 33 of- Z-shaped cross section is formed in the same die and it is turned upside down in the same jig as the rst men,-- tioned corner lockwas, so thatthe shouldered studs3,6 canberiveted thereto. Accordingly, locking `boltper seofthe lefts` has the offset plunger elements@ and 41 facing the opposite way, and also the tab 47 is bent so as to face the opposite direction. These locking elements are given the same numerals in all views whether they are rights or lefts. The opposite end portion 56 has borders 57 and 58 offset inwardly relative to the end portion 56.

The end portion 6 is connected to the base 21 by means of a hinge pin 59, a portion 60 is secured to the floor 22, and a portion 61 is secured at right angles to the portion 56, for example by bending a portion 62 of the latter at right angles to the plane of the portion 56 and securing it to the portion 61 in any suitable manner, Figures ll and 12.

It will be noted from Figure l2 that the hinge pin 59 is a greater distance from the side portion 25 than the hinge pin 32 is from side 23.

It will also be noted that the end portions 30 and 56 when in their folded positions are substantially parallel to each other and to the oor 22 and the end portion 56 is above and spaced apart from the end element 30.

The end portion 30 is provided with a transverse reinforcing strip 63 adjacent to the free end 64 thereof.

Likewise the end member 56 is also provided with a transverse reinforcing strip 66 adjacent to the free end 67 thereof.

The end portions 30 and 56 may be provided with handles if desired, for example in Figure 1 I show a handle 69 mounted on the end portion 30 and this handle may consist of a rectangular plate 70 with a depression 71 formed therein. This depression is rectangular and has upwardly extending slotted extensions on each end thereof and pivotally carried on a pivot pin, not shown, is a U-shaped handle 72 which normally lies substantially flush with the outer face of the plate 70, but which may be swung upwardly through an angle of approximately 90 and used as a handle. In some instances where the packing case is made of a substantial size similar handles may be provided on the side elements which will next be described.

Referring now to Figure l0 a side element 75 may carry a pair of spaced apart reinforcing blocks 73 on the outside surface thereof adjacent to the upper edge. A. second pair of spaced reinforcing blocks 74 coincide with the reinforcing blocks 73 and through these blocks and the side element 75 is a rectangular passage or opening 76 devised to receive elements carried by the cover to be presently described. l

The passage 76 may be provided with a chamfer 77. A hinge 80 has a hinge pin S1, a portion 82 and a portion 83. The portion 83 is secured to a portion 26 of the rectangular flange extension of the base 21 in such a manner that when the side element 75 is folded down it lies substantially parallel to the iioor and the end portion 30 is suciently spaced apart from the element 56 to provide a suitable clearance therebetween. The portion 26 has a rectangular passage 84 therethrough which is similar to the passage 76 described above and which, when furnished with an inside reinforcing block, like that shown in 74, may provide suicient thickness for a chamfer like that shown in 77 to be provided.

The opposite side element 50 carries near its upper edge 86, a lock control device 88, which will be presently described. On the opposite face of the element 50 is a plate 89 which has a key passage 90 therethrough.

' The side element 50 is hingedly connected to the portion 24 of the rectangular flange extension of the base by means of a hinge 92. The hinge has a hinge pin 91,

va hinge portion 93, which is secured to the side wall 24,

and a hinge portion 94 which is secured to the lower end of the side element 50. It will be noted from Figure that when side element 50 is folded down to a horizontal position it is uppermost within the rectangular flange extension of the base and that it is substantially parallel not only to the floor 22 but also to the elements 30, 56, and 75, which have been previously folded down.

. material.

The cover 85 may be comprised of a rectangular form 95 having an opening 96 therein and being generally L-shaped in cross section as may best be seen in Figures l0 and 12, the horizontal portion of the cross section being designated by numeral 97 and the vertical leg being designated by the numeral 98. The rectangular opening 96 may be closed by a plate 100 of comparatively thin Depending from the cover 85 on the interior thereof are ribs 99, 101 and 102 which are adapted to minimize any movement of the side elements 30, 50, 56 and when the packing case is shipped in an expanded state.

The vertical leg or rear wall 98 of the cover 85 has secured thereto a` pair of spaced depending elements 103, each having a lower'extremity 104, which is in the form of a reversed hook which is placed in engagement with the corresponding slot 84 formed in the side portion 26 of the base elements 21. Since the members 103 are identical it is believed that the above description of one of them is su'icient. It will be understood that two or more of these elements are employed depending When the packing case is in its expanded normal stateV each element 103 engages the slots 77 previously described as formed in the reinforcing blocks 74 and coincident reinforcing blocks 73.

Returning to the cover the front leg or Wall 98a,

Figure 10, has secured thereto a pair of spaced depend-` ing rectangular shaped members 105, Figure 3, having a rectangular passage or opening 106 extending therethrough. A rectangular member 107 is pivotally mounted in the opening 106 by means of a cross pin 108 which extends through the member 107 and into the member 105. A clearance slot 109 is formed in the member 107 and within this slot and embracing the pin 108 is a spring member 110, one leg 111 of which bears against the member 107, and the other leg 112 of which bears against the wall 98a. This arrangement is best seen in Figures 3 and 4. A locking bolt 113 is journaled in a suitable hole formed in the member 107 and this member carries anV arcuate sector 114 which, for example, subtends an angle of The sector 114 is positioned with a semi-circular cavity 115. Since the sector 114 spans 90 it may travel i'n thesemi-circular cavity 90 from an unlocked position to a locked position. The member 113 has a shank 116 which carries on its extremities a locking element 117 which is generally rectangular in form. Now, in order to operate the lock suitable means is provided for turning the element 113 through an angle of 90. This may be done by means of a screw driver slot 118 or in any other suitable manner.

With the packing case in its collapsed state as shown iuFigure l0, each locking element 117 engages one of the key-hole shaped holes 119 formed in the side portion 24 of the base 21. p A

When the case is in its expanded normal state the locking is effected by the engagement of the locking elements 117 with the key shaped slots 90 formed in the reinforcing blocks 89 previously described, as carried on the side member 50.

Referring now to Figures 12, 13 and 14, the lock control device 88 which may best be seen in Figure 14 is comprised of a disc member 120 vwhich is rotatably carried in a counterbored hole`121 formed in a block lock member 122 carried on the wa1l'50. A rod 123 has a hole in one end thereof which engages a stud 124 carried by the disc-like member 120. The disc-like member also has a slot 125 formed therein to accommodate the lock element 117 of the locking member 113. The disc-like member 120 may also carry diametrically opposite to the stud 124, a second stud 126, to which a second bar 12311.

S may be connected, Where a plurality of locking elements 113 is employed. i

The bar 123 has an enlarged head 127 on the `opposite end thereof which terminates in a flat surface 128 and an undercut portion 129. This head is supported and guided by a block member 130 which has a clearance slot 1'31 formed slightly larger than the thickness of the bar 123. Within the casing of the device 88 is mounted (Figure 14) a comparatively light spring 133 which bears on and urges the head 127 into contact with the arcuate surface 132 at the bottom of the cut out portion 131. The spring 133 may be secured to the casing in any suitable manner, for example by escutcheon pins 134.

When the locking device 113 on the left hand side, as viewed in Figures 13 and 14, is locked, the bar 123 is in the position shown in solid lines in Figure 14, where it will be noted that the locking element 117 is in the locking position thereby interlocking the two locks so that the one on the right hand side of Figure 14 can not be unlocked until the one on the left hand side has been unlocked. When the one on the left has been unlocked the bar 123 assumes the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 14 where it will be noted that the head is withdrawn to the left, as seen in Figure 14, to a position where the locking element 117 may be rotated to the position shown in dotted lines without even touching the bar 123. By this arrangement it is also enabled to engage the lock on the right hand side after the one on the left (Figure 14) has been unlocked.

It will be noted from Figure 12 that the end portion 30 is connected to a hinge portion which extends upwardly from the oor a comparatively short distance so that the end portion 30 when swung down to the position shown in Figure 12 nearest to and substantially parallel to the oor 22, while the end portion 56 is connected to the portion 61 of the hinge 59 which extends a greater distance above the floor 22 than does the hinge portion 28 above referred to. This means that when the end member 56 is folded down to the position shown in Figure 12 it is substantially parallel to the end portion 30, and is spaced apart therefrom with more than suicient clearance.

It will also be noted from Figure 12 that the hinge pin 32 is nearer to the side portion 23 than the hinge pin 59 on the other side portion 25, and these distances are such that when the member 30 is swung to a vertical position, it will be substantially in contact with the side portion 23, and the end member 56 when swung to a vertical position will be substantially in contact with the side portion 25.

Referring now to Figure l it will be noted that the hinge 80 is secured on the side portion 26 with its hinge pin a sucient distance above the floor 22 to cause the side element 75 to assume a position in spaced parallel relation with the end member 56 when both of them are folded from a vertical position to a horizontal position. The space provides ample clearance between the members 56 and 75.

The hinge 92 has its hinge pin 91 a greater distance above the floor 22 than is the hinge pin 81 with the result that when the side plate 50 is swung down from a vertical position to a horizontal position it is in parallel spaced relation to the side plate 75. It will also be noted that the plate 50 when swung to said horizontal position is substantially level with the upper edges of the side portions 23 through 26, inclusive, in the embodiment shown.

The packing case may be collapsed in the following manner: The bolt members 35 in all four corners are drawn upwardly to disengage the plunger elements 40 and 41 from the slots 42 and 43, thereby freeing the side and end members from each other and then these elements are swung from the Vertical position to the horizontal position in the following order. First the end member 30 is swung downwardly as indicated by the arrow A 1n F1gure secondly, end portion 56 is swung downwardly as indicated by the arrow B; then the side element 75 1s swung downwardly as indicated by the arrow C; and

finally, side member 50 is swung downwardly as indicated by the arrow D in Figure 5, the last portion of the last step of this operation being shown in Figure 6. After this isdone the cover is engaged with the side element 75 by inserting the lower extremities of the spaced depending elements 103 on` said cover into the corresponding slots 84 formed in the side portion 26, and the locking element 117 of each lock is engaged with the corresponding key hole shaped hole 119 formed in the side portion 24 of the base 21, following which a sealing element 135 is applied. The sealing element 135 may be comprised of the usual wire and lead seal wherein the wire is pushed through aligned holes in the locking member and is pushed through the lead sealing head following which the latter is compressed in any suitable manner.

When the packing case is in its expanded state, the extremities 104 engage the slots 77 carried by the side plate 75, and the locking elements engage the key hole shaped slots carried by the side member 50, and after the cover is locked on it may be sealed by means of the wire or lead` seal in themanner above described.

Although I have herein shown and described, by way of example, one embodiment of my new and improved collapsible case, it will be understood that many changes may be made in the arrangements shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention as described in the appended claims.

v What I claim is:

l. In a collapsible packing case, a base having vertical ilange means about its perimeter, cooperative side and end walls individually carried on said base, said side walls being hinged to said ange means by individual hinges with their axes lying on different levels within said base portion so that said side walls are in 'substantially spaced parallel relation when they are folded downwardly from their normal positions to their collapsed positions within said base they are in substantially parallel spaced relation therein, said end walls being hinged to said base, one of the hinges involved being spaced apart from one end of said base portion and greater distance than that of the other hinge involved is spaced from the other end of said base and said end walls having ilanges thereon connected to said hinges in such a manner that when said walls are swung from their normal positions to positions where the case is collapsed, they are stratiled within said base, and a cover portion having elements adapted to engage cooperative elements in said walls when they are in their normal positions and adapted to engage other cooperative elements in said base when said case is col lapsed, to form a cover for said case.

2. In a collapsible packing case, a plurality of wall members detachably secured together to form corners of said case, a base having upright flanges thereabout, said walls being in two groups, one group of which the walls are individually hinged to said base hinges connecting the walls of said first group having different spacingsfrom the ends of said base and being connected to said hinges by means of flanges one of which is shorter than the other, the short one being connected to the hinge which is nearest to the end of said base and the other ange being connected to the other hinge which is further from the end of said base, Iand the walls in the other group being individually hinged to said upright flanges by means of hinges having their axes disposed on different levels Within said base so that when said walls are disengaged from one another and swung downwardly to collapse said case, they are stratiiied at different levels within said base without interfering with one another', and a cover portion `carrying elements, adapted to interlock with corresponding slots formed in one of said wal'. members near the top thereof, when the case is in its noncollapsed state, and also adapted to interlock with other corresponding slots in one ange of said base when said wall members are collapsed. v

3. A collapsible packing case according to claim 2 1n which the meeting edges of said walls, when the case is opened up from its collapsed position, are comprised of making locking elements, one of said elements carrying amovable element adapted to interlock with slots in the other element, and said movable element being adapted to be flush with the upper edges of said walls when the adjacent corners of said Walls are locked together thereby.

V4. In a collapsible packing case, a base portion having a vertical ange about its perimeter, cooperative side and end walls, said side Walls being comprised of the walls individually hinged to` said ange means by means of hinges having their axes lying on different levels within said base portion, and said end walls being individually hinged to the bottom wall of said base portion in spaced apart relation to the flange means on the ends of said base portion, one of the hinges being nearer one end of said base than the other is to the other end of said base, the difference being the difference between the levels of said end walls when the latter are folded down into their collapsed positions within said base portion, each of said walls being swingable from a plane substantially parallel to said base to a plane 90 with respect to said first basef the points of attachment of said walls being so arranged that when said side walls are swung to said substantially parallel relation, they are spaced apart along different levels within said base greater thanthe levels of said end walls therein, and a cover portion having elements adapted to be interlocked with said base portion to enclose said Walls when said case is collapsed and adapted to be interlocked with the free edges of said Walls when they are in their normal positions.

I References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 995,712 Pickering June 20, 1911 1,206,090 Carper et al Nov. 28, 1916 1,286,828 Straley Dec. 3, 1918' 1,626,369 Williamson Apr. 26, 1927 1,663,649 Elkins Mar. 27, 1928 1,793,362 'Graves Feb. 17, 1931 2,079,458 Leichtfuss May 4, 1937 2,648,455 Bitney Aug. 11', 1953 

